Live Review: Grouplove, CSS

CSS bring what's left of their A-game to The Hi-Fi bar stage. Formed in São Paulo in 2003, the band has been a regular fixture on the Australian summer festival circuit for a number of years now. Performing in the support slot, the band do their best to pump up the packed crowd. Old favourites such as Alala pop up, as does lead singer Lovefoxxx's dance moves. The band, however, feels and sounds a little flat, lacking the original energy they exuded in their heyday, the late noughties. Lovefoxxx introduces their last song of the set, I've Seen You Drunk Gurl, explaining that it's a love song between herself and bandmate Luiza Sa, and the audience show their appreciation of CSS's efforts accordingly.

Grouplove drummer Ryan Rabin opens their set by hitting the power button of his LED hoodie on the black stage. The intro, like their entire show, is hard, fast and loud. Featuring tunes predominantly from their second album, Spreading Rumors, I'm With You gets the crowd revved up and here they stay for the duration of the show. The sound is bristling clear, which singer Christian Zucconi exploits to show the audience his formidable vocal ability.

Schoolboy and Shark Attack are well received and the crowd is offered a brief break by the slower tempo Hippy Hill. Spun sees Andrew Wessen momentarily take over vocal duties and Bitin' The Bullet is introduced with singer/keyboardist Hannah Hooper imploring the crowd to put their hands up when she asks them to because “it feels good to put your hands up all together”. This song comes off as flat as both Hooper and Zucconi seem to channel Biggie but to not much avail. While the band's shtick is cheerful, childish hedonism, the sheer stupidity of their music becomes grating. Lyrics such as “Raspberry, on the ferry, I was feeling kinda seasick on that boat,” from Raspberry, and “I'd rather be a hippy that a hipster, what?!” from Hippy Hill are cases in point. Further, as the set unfolds it becomes apparent how formulaic the band approaches their songwriting process. The majority of the songs are characterised by a 4/4 time signature, repeated lyrics to the point of ad nauseam and lots of “whoa, whoos” and “la la las”, instead of lyrics for choruses.

Nevertheless, the crowd genuinely enjoys everything that Grouplove throw at them, giving the band their all throughout the entire set and especially after encore songs Borderlines And Aliens and Ways To Go. This is for good reason; their live show is water tight and hugely entertaining if you're a fan of their music.